Discovery Day

As time went by, it was evident that we were getting closer and closer to the accumulation zone of the western garbage patch. Every day we spotted something new, interesting or funny. Pill dispensers, rope fragments and my favourite by far, the industrial strength tube of asian body lube Cynthia and Jesse spotted from the port side of the boat. ‘Eeeeew’!

It was a beautiful day out; the sun was scorching as usual and the seas were much calmer than we were used to. Our team was on watch when Hank shouted ‘Debris’! As we looked over yonder we discovered what seemed to be a huge white floating barrel. “Looks like a huge marshmallow “, someone shouted; “Maybe it’s a barrel of Sake” another crew member joked. We swung the boat hard to port to get a closer look at this floating debris; it was a massive Styrofoam float. Marcus and Hank wanted to get a closer look and haul it up on board but before we knew it the barrel was getting out of sight. Tyler, had been hoisted 50ft up the mast of the boat where he sat on the spreaders to get aerial footage for his t.v show. Suddenly he became our lookout, directing us towards our discovery. Ocean waves and currents were pushing the Styrofoam behind us, so in order to fetch it we had to drop our sails entirely and turn the boat around.

A few minutes after we got all the sails down we headed towards our target with hopes of bringing it on deck. Marcus grabbed the pool net and Hank grabbed the gaff to pull it out of the water. Too bad it didn’t work. The instruments were not strong enough to hold the weight of the float. Like a scene out of a movie, Jesse flies across the cockpit to the side of the boat. All I can hear is “hold my legs”. Jesse launches himself over the side of the boat and grabs the barrel while Cynthia and Box hold his legs, it was hilarious but a success as he managed to capture it. Meanwhile Tyler is stranded on the spreaders filming the entire ordeal........Good Times!

We were all in good spirits about our new findings but still puzzled on where it migrated from. The only question left was ‘What else will we find?’

                                         Styrofoam barrel floating in the middle of the ocean

                                         The boys getting ready for capture

                                         "Hold my feet" Jesse retrieving foam float

                                         'GOT IT'!!

                                         Finally on board

                                         Marcus holding the barrel

                                                   Round of applause for Jesse

                                                   Jesse looking similar to Atlas holding the Earth

                                                   Playing Catch haha

                                                   Tyler 50ft high documenting the madness

                                         Hank and Marcus with their trophy